The Xbox game is said to be a metaphor for addiction.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) partnered with Foote, Cone & Belding (FCB) to launch an anti-smoking Xbox game as part of the FDA’s “The Real Cost” campaign.
The campaign aims to prevent youth tobacco use. It was first developed by FCB, a global marketing communications company, in 2014.
The game’s title, “One Leaves,” is a nod to the statistic that for every four teenagers who smoke cigarettes in high school, three will continue smoking well into adulthood. The company said the objective of the game — to escape a seemingly endless labyrinth — is a metaphor for addiction.
“This game is part high school, part hospital and part hell,” said Gary Resch, FCB New York EVP, executive creative director. “Our mission, alongside FDA, was to deliver the potent ‘3 out of 4’ addiction statistic in a truly provocative and experiential way.”
The “One Leaves” game also became a real-life experience as an escape room at the 2019 Winter X Games.
